Mertansine (DM1)

Description: Mertansine refers to the thiol-containing maytansinoid, DM1 (N2’-deacetyl-N2’-(3-mercapto-1-oxopropyl)maytansine) attached to a monoclonal antibody through reaction of the thiol group with an SPP (N-succinimidyl 4-(2-pyridyldithio)) linker to create an antibody-drug conjugate or ADC. Experimental ADCs with the SPP-DM1 design include lorvotuzumab mertansine. DM1 can also be linked to an antibody using the SMCC (4-(3-mercapto-2, 5-dioxo-1-pyrrolidinylmethyl)-cylohexanecarboxylic acid) linker, in which case the International Nonproprietary Name of the conjugate formed contains the word emtansine. DM1 and its attachment via these linkers result from ImmunoGen Inc research. Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is an anti-HER2/neu antibody-drug conjugate.

References: Koniev O, Kolodych S, Baatarkhuu Z, Stojko J, Eberova J, Bonnefoy JY, Cianferani S, Van Dorsselaer A, Wagner A. MAPN: First-in-Class Reagent for Kinetically Resolved Thiol-to-Thiol Conjugation. Bioconjug Chem. 2015 Sep 3. Epub ahead of print PubMed PMID: 26335849.